Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye

With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008, our site was designed to offer an opportunity to those who wished to engage in public debate on many issues, especially in politics and business, but found it difficult to get placed in newspaper op-ed pages. 

Co-publishers Tom Ross, Bryan Merica and I have kept F&H going over this time investing our own time, funding, and staff help. Last year at this time we considered closing the site, however with an election on the horizon we decided to keep F&H going through the election year. With the election come and gone, and with no sense of additional resources, we have decided to close the site down. 

Fox and Hounds will live on, at least, with my articles collected in the California State Library.

On a personal note, I have spent over 40 years in California policy and politics. There have been some incredible high moments and some difficult low points. It pains me that politics too often is a blood sport, frequently demonizing the motives of opponents and using the legal system as a weapon in public discourse. At Fox & Hounds, we tried to adhere to the practice of giving all a voice in the debate, yet keep the commentaries civil and avoided personal attacks.

F&H offered the opportunity to publish different perspectives (even ones that criticized my writings!).  We had success as indicated by the Washington Post twice citing Fox and Hounds Daily one of the best California political websites and many other positive affirmations and comments received over the years.

Tom, Bryan and I want to thank our many readers and writers for being part of our journey.  The publishers of Fox and Hounds Daily believe that we added value to California and its people. We hope you agree.

Best Workforce Strategies for Californians with Greatest Barriers?

What are the best workforce strategies today for Californians with greatest employment barriers–ex-offenders, ex-addicts, workers with physical or neurological disabilities or mental illnesses?  Beyond the current minimum wage debates, what of workers who can’t even get minimum wage jobs?

Ms. Carla Javits, the President & CEO of REDF, has thought about these questions since she was a program analyst in state government in the late 1980s. Even after nearly thirty years in the social welfare and workforce fields she continues to struggle with them. In 2014, she is moving in new intellectual and program directions, worth noting by California’s policy community. (more…)

What a New Report on the L.A.’s Apathy Gets Wrong

When your city’s civic leaders issue a big report called “A Time for Truth,” it’s natural to wonder if they’re admitting that everything they’ve told you in the past is bull.

And if they’re actually leveling with you now.

The city of Los Angeles—where examples of the weakness of civic life are outnumbered only by examples of elite hand-wringing over the weakness of civic life—recently saw the release of just such a report, by a committee of 12 worthies (led by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor and former Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner) from the political, business, labor, and philanthropic worlds. Its central point: L.A. is too apathetic and passive about planning for the future.

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New Transparency Website Reveals True Costs of Payroll and Pensions for California’s Public Employees

In light of the strong public policy supporting transparency in government, an individual’s expectation of privacy in a salary earned in public employment is significantly less than the privacy expectation regarding income earned in the private sector. – Excerpt from California Supreme Court Ruling, 8-27-2007, IFPTE v. Superior Court

This week the California Public Policy Center launched what is the largest online payroll and pension database, searchable by name, downloadable via spreadsheet, ever compiled for active and retired employees of California’s state and local governments. Do you want to see just how much California’s public servants are costing taxpayers? Go to www.TransparentCalifornia.com and have a look.

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Unintended Consequences Lead to Higher Healthcare Costs

“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.” Milton Friedman

Every time Congress passes a law that establishes some new program or benefit, the members pat themselves on the back and tell us what problem or perceived problem the program is intended to address.

Because in every piece of legislation ever passed in the history of the Republic there is an unwritten “amendment of unintended consequences.” No member puts it into the legislation and it is never voted on but it is there nonetheless.

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Demise of Car Tax Initiative Leaves Transportation Finance Unresolved

News last week that proponents have dropped their initiative to increase the car tax for transportation projects was unsurprising, but only leads to the larger question of how to meet legitimate new needs for roads, highways and other transportation works.

Recent private polling has found that voters are disinclined to approve new taxes for …almost anything. Even though most voters won’t pay the Proposition 30 income tax hikes, they believe these tax increases are enough to address the state’s problems, especially with their biggest concern: public education. Lingering uncertainty about California’s modest economic recovery also dampens voter interest in new taxes.

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Stop Sign of the Times

Many Californians may not have noticed, but their wallets just avoided getting hit by a speeding car tax.

Last month, the Attorney General cleared a measure entitled the “California Road Repairs Act of 2014” to begin collecting signatures for placement on the November ballot. Backed by well-heeled transportation interests — including contractors, construction unions and the bond industry — the initiative would more than double the California car tax, known as the VLF.

However, the backers of the new tax have just announced that they have decided to put their initiative on hold. Rumors are that these “concrete salesmen” (our pet name for the transportation lobby) were discouraged by the results of polling that showed that taxpayers would turn thumbs down on this tax increase. As one observer remarked, “This would be as popular with taxpayers as a skunk in a space capsule,” and it should be noted that Gray Davis’ increase of the car tax was an issue that contributed to his being recalled.

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